


Peas and Thank You

by plumblossomed



Series: SasuSaku Twit Fest 2020 [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, Food
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:33:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24586165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plumblossomed/pseuds/plumblossomed
Summary: Sarada’s first word is neither Mama nor Papa.SasuSaku Twit Fest 2020 Day 7: Free prompt!
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Series: SasuSaku Twit Fest 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1770556
Comments: 9
Kudos: 92





	Peas and Thank You

**Author's Note:**

> I was voting for the prompts and the "thank you" one inspired me immediately lol it didn't make the cut, so I used it for today's free prompt. Arranged marriage au update coming next now that I'm done with the twitter fest!

Sakura quickly slid into her seat at the dinner table, grateful to be off her aching feet after what felt like an endless day of chores. Even if she was tired, she insisted on cooking dinner that night. Sasuke had been out on a grueling mission, so she wanted to let him relax and play with Sarada after returning home. She couldn’t bring herself to interrupt their joyful session of stacking colorful blocks (and quickly knocking them over). Sakura was grateful that her keen shinobi ears allowed her to listen to Sarada’s loud laughter over the sounds of preparing the family meal.

But before she could dig into her plate of fresh food, she turned to Sarada’s high chair. Nearing one year old, Sarada was vibrant and curious. She’d inherited her parents’ stubbornness, so mealtime often meant they had to be creative to get her to eat more than a few bites, _especially_ if it was a new food. As a doctor, watching her daughter’s preferences develop was fascinating. But as a busy mother, she sometimes wished Sarada would just eat what was on her plate — and do it neatly. 

Seeing her preparing to offer spoonfuls of baby food to Sarada made Sasuke say, “Let me do it. You should eat.” It had quickly been discovered that the best way for Sarada to take more than a few bites was for one parent to start eating as an example and the other to offer her spoonfuls of baby food. Two parents pushing the peas proved to be too distracting and overwhelming. 

“I will in a minute, thank you, dear,” Sakura smiled at him. She had snuck a few bites while cooking to, you know, do a _taste test_ before plating it for her husband, so she could wait a little longer. 

He didn’t push her, figuring she would just ask for him to take over if she really needed a break. He picked up his chopsticks, “Ah, alright. Thank you, Sakura.” The food smelled delicious and far more appetizing than the non-descript mush that was waiting to be smeared all over by Sarada’s chubby fists. He missed so many things when he was away from home, and eating a hot meal with his little family was high on the list. 

Sasuke, rather unceremoniously, opened his mouth wide and shoveled a big bite of food in, taking care to make eye contact with Sarada as he chewed exaggeratedly. “See? Papa’s eating. Yummy, food! Sarada wants to eat food, right?” Sakura coaxed. Sarada flapped her arms in her chair, signaling that she was hungry too. If her Papa was eating, then _you bet_ Sarada would be eating.

Sakura giggled at the comical display of both Sasuke demonstrating how to eat and Sarada taking the bait. His enemies were always intimidated by his rinnegan, but his wide eyes were filled with warm mirth — he couldn’t be less scary if he tried. Her husband was a gentle man, but very few would ever know. “Thank you, Sasuke-kun. I think she’ll finish her dinner tonight.” His dramatic performance was certainly, uh, enticing. 

Sakura guided the baby spoon towards Sarada’s mouth, slowly, in case she tried to bat it out of the way. “Mm, peas. I think Sarada wants to eat peas, doesn’t she?” 

Delicately, Sarada opened wide and allowed Sakura to fit the spoon into her mouth. She smacked her lips together several times as Sakura encouraged her until she eventually swallowed it all down, with hardly a smudge on her rosy cheeks. 

“Oh, does Sarada like peas?” The delight was obvious in her voice. Peas were good. Peas were healthy and easy and if Sarada wanted to eat them, Sakura would not say no. 

Sarada babbled happily and paused for a moment before turning to Sakura, “Tank..you!” 

Her giggling and clapping filled her parents’ stunned silence. “Was that her first word?” Sakura asked in disbelief, eyes tearing up despite her broad grin. Her baby’s voice was one of the sweetest sounds, only rivaled by her laughter. “You’re welcome, Sarada! Very good, sweetheart!” 

“Two words,” Sasuke corrected proudly. Every parent thinks their child is the smartest, the cutest, the strongest, the best. But this was clear _proof_ that Sarada was going to blow all the other kids out of the water. As if she hadn’t already. She was eating those peas like a _champ._ And now that articulation! _As expected_ , Sasuke thought. “That’s my girl.”

“She’s polite,” Sakura observed as she wiped the corner of her eye. She supposed it was to be expected given how commonly the phrase was said in their household. Thank you meant a million different things to Sasuke and Sakura, it was only natural that Sarada had picked up on it too. 

“And you say we spoil her too much,” Sasuke said smugly. 

“Because _we do!”_

“Hn,” he shrugged, continuing to eat and gaze fondly at their daughter. “If you want to stop spoiling her so much, go ahead. That just means she’ll say Papa first.” They had a subtle but also entirely not subtle competition to see who she would call for first: Mama or Papa. Sasuke’s analysis of her nonsensical gurglings so far pointed to Papa first. 

“Yeah, right,” Sakura rolled her eyes. “If that’s what you think, then her first sentence will probably be ‘Papa is _annoying._ ' So have it your way!"

**Author's Note:**

> Place your bets: what do /you/ think Sarada’s first word was? Second or third? Thinking about how my kpop boy said his was sky T_T


End file.
